Sheet separating, feeding, and guiding appliance.



No. 677,062. Patented June 25, MN. 6. W. GOMBS.

SHEET SEPARATING, FEEDlNG, AND GUIDING APPLIANCE.

. (Application filed Jan. 29, 1901.) (No Model.)

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No. 677,062. Patented June 25, I901. C. W. CDMBS.

SHEET SEPARATING, FEEDING, AND GUIDING APPLIANCE.

(Application filed Jan. 29, 1901.)

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No. 677,062. Patented-lune 25, I9DI.

C-v W. CUMBS.

SHEET SEPARA'I'ING, FEEDING, AND GUIDING APPLIANCE.

(Application filed Jan. 29, 1901.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets$heat 3.

Czar/i WCom/M No. 677,062. Patented June 25, I90I. C. W. CUMBS.

SHEET SEPARATING, FEEDING, AND GUIDING APPLIANCE.

(Application filed Jan. 29, 1901.) (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

65 x3 72 'i A W JNVE/I/TO/e TNESSES: W 7 I By M Cog/)6 7 A/zomcys No.677,062. Patented lune 25, 190i. 6. W. CUMBS.

SHEET SEPABATIIIG, FEEDING, AND GUIDING APPLIANCE.

(Application filed 'Jlm. B9, 1901.) (R0 Model.)

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No. 677,062. Patented June 25, I90I. C. W. CDMBS.

SHEET SEPABATING, FEEDINGQAND GUIDINGAPPLIANCE.

(Application filed Jan. 29, 1901) (N0 Mudel.) 6 Sheets-Sheet B.

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//%% 41 Y 'CzarzWcbMo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARK XV. COMES, OF LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

SHEET SEPARATING, FEEDING, AND GUlDlNG APPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,062, dated June 25,1901. Application filed January 29, 1901. Serial No, 45,212. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,CLARK W. (Jones, a citizen of the United States,residing at Leavenworth,in the county of Leavenworth and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in SheetSeparating, Feeding, and Guiding Appliances; and Ido declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to sheet separating, feeding, and guiding orregistering appliances employed in connection with printing-presses andruling, folding, and other machines, and contemplates a new and improvedmechanism by the operation of which the sheets to be printed areseparated and fed singly to the press properly guided or registered bothat the front and side, all of the steps of separating, feeding, andguiding or registering being entirely automatically accomplishedexpeditiously and with great precision.

For an understanding of my invention reference is to be had to thefollowing detailed description and to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is a view in elevation, partly in section, of a new andimproved pneumatic sheet-separating device which I prefer to employinconnection with my new and improved feeding mechanism. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation, partly broken away, of a feeding mechanism embodying myinvention. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 3 3 of Fig.2. Fig. at is a detail view showing another form of feeding mechanism.Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged detail views of the front guide or register.Fig. 7 isan enlarged view of the trolley arrangement for controlling thegripping devices. Fig. 8 is a top view, enlarged, of the carrier for theside-guide feeding device. Fig. 9 is a View of a difierent form of frontguide or register mechanism. Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail View of thesheetstopping means and the controlling mechanism. Fig. 11 is across-sectional view of the table, showing the adjustable guide-stripsfor the sheet. Fig. 12 is a detail view of another form ofgripper-finger. Fig. 13 is a detail view of the side guide or register.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 denotes the stack of sheets tobe separated and fed singly to the press, the stack being supported withthe sheets horizontally disposed on a follower-plate 2, verticallymovable in a frame 3. The plate is guided in its movement by theengagement of flanged wheels 4 thereon with vertical guides 5, fixed tothe frame, and preferably the plate and sheets are counterbalanced byWeights 6 or their equivalent. The stack is continuously orintermittently advanced by the movement of a follower-rod '7, whichabuts at its upper endagainst the under side of the plate,where it isprovided with a ball or roller thrust-bean ing 8. The rod for a portionof its length is screw-threaded and engages a threaded sleeve 9, fixedto the frame. 0n the rod is keyed a gear-wheel 10, which meshes with anelon gated driving pinion 1], receiving motion through gear or otherconnection with a moving part of the press or other source of power.Rotation of the rod through the described gearing effects also itselevation by reason of the screw-bearing, and the stack is thus raisedcontinuously or step by step, dependent upon the desired progression. 1

The sheets are separated and conveyed sin' gly from the stack by suctiondevices 12, two or more of which are employed, and which are with acylinder 14,in which is a piston 15,reciprocated by suitable means, suchas the crankwheel and rod shown. The parts are timed in their movementtoproduce a suction in the de vices 12 at the proper instant, and meansare em ployed to con vey-the separated sheet as follows: The suctiondevices are each carried by a frame 16, mounted to have a horizontalmovement in a frame 17', rollers or balls being employed to reducefriction. The frame 17 is in turn mounted to have a vertical movement ina third or main frame 18, rollers or balls also being employed to lessenthe friction. The three frames, which for convenience I will term thecarrier, are together horizontally reciprocated and are supported on andguided by horizontal rails 20, which are engaged by flanged wheels 21 onthe main frame. Reciprocating mechanism for the carrieris providedconnected, preferably, by flexible tubes 13 at each end thereof, themechanism operating in unison, and inasmuch as these mechanisms are ofsimilar structure a description of one of them will suflice.

22 denotes a crank-gear provided with a crank-pin 23, confined in abearing formed therefor in the end of the .main frame 18. The crank-gearis rotatably mounted on a drive-wheel 24, at one side of the centerthereof, and the teeth of the crank-gear mesh with the teeth of aninside gear 25,fixed to the frame of the appliance concentrically withthe drivewheel. The drive wheel receives motion through connection witha moving part of the press or other source of power, and in such motionthe crank-gear is bodily rotated about the center of the drive-wheel andis rotated on its own axis through its engagement I with the fixedinside gear. The effect of this double movement of the crank-gear is toimpart to the crank-pin a reciprocatory transverse movement insubstantially a straight horizontal line, which movement is transmittedto the carrier. The intermediate frame 17-carries a rod 26, having atits upper end a wheel or roller 27, which engages a fixed camrail 28.The frame 17 in the initial position of the carrier is depressed againstthe action being maintained throughout movement of the carrier. Theframe 16 normally occupies a position to the right in the frame 17, aspring 16 of weak tension being employed to restore said frame 16 aftermovement to the This independent horizonstated position. tal movementofthe frame 16 is permitted in order to delay elevation of the suctiondevice until the piston has been moved sufi'iciently to create thenecessary suction and cause the sheet to be seized by the suction deviceprior to its elevation through the movement of the intermediate frame,which is accomplished gradually as the roller 27 of the rod 26 travelsup the inclined portion of the cam-rail. At the proper point on thecam-rail are projections 30, which when engaged by the roller prod uce asufficient jar to dislodge any sheets which may adhere to the uppermostsheet. The separated sheet is carried forwardly and upwardly, and whenit reaches a predetermined point over the feeding-table 31 the piston isretracted, and the released sheet falls on a traveling apron 32, whichforms a part of the table and which is moved by the rotation of one ofits supporting-rollers.

33 denotes a feed-roller which contacts with the apron, and betweenwhich and the apron the sheet is conveyed. The table is adjustable toassume any desired angle, which may be greater or less than that shown.

The sheet is brought by the apron and feedroller into position to beengaged'by feeding in'the table.

mechanism and conveyed to the press-cylinder. The feeding mechanismconsists of a reciprocated frame 34, which for convenienceI will termthe carrier, and of sheet-gripping devices on the carrier separatelyactuated to insure the proper guiding or register-- ing of the frontiofthe sheet, the side of the sheet being guided or registered-in a mannerpresently to be explained. The carrier-frame is supported in apositionat a right angle to the table and is guided in its movement by theengagement of flanged wheels 35 thereon with a fixed track 86. The meansfor reciproeating the carrier is similar in construction and operationto the reciprocating means for the separating mechanism. Said meansconsists of a crank gear-wheel 37, provided with a crank-pin 38,confined in a slot bearing in the side of the carrier, the crankgear-wheel being pivoted on a gear-wheel 30 at one side of the center ofthe latter, and said wheel 39 meshes with a drive' gear wheel 40,operatively connected with a movable part of the press. The crankgear-wheel meshes withan inside gear 41, fixed to an upright 42, and inthe rotation of the gear-wheel 39 the crank gear-wheel is bodily rotatedand rotates on its own axis, thereby reciprocating the crankpin, andwith it the carrier. It will be understood that similar reciprocatingmeans isemployed at the opposite end of the frame.

The sheet-engaging devices on the carrier consist of gripper-fingers 4343, arranged in pairs, and at least two pairs of fingers are employed togrip the sheet at two points. Each of the gripper-fingers may beprovided with auxiliary fingers 43 to grip the sheet at other points,and thereby distribute the friction. The fingers are tipped with rubberor equivalent friction material. Said fingers are adjust-ablelongitudinally along the carrier according to the size of the sheet. Thelower fingers when in grippingposition occupy slots The fingers of apair are ver tically movable to and from each other to grip and releasethe sheet, and each finger is moved by a pivoted toothed segment orsegments 44, which engage teeth on the finger, the segment or segmentsbeing rotated to move the finger into gripping position against theaction of a retracting-spring 45 by the attractive power of anelectromagnct 46, a softiron piece, or preferably a companionelectromagnet 47 being provided on the segment. The magnets 46 of eachpair of gripper-fingers and the magnets 47, if employed, areelectricallyconnected with circular tracks on the gear-wheel 39 and alsowith two trolleywheels, constructed and arranged to operate as follows:The tracks are two in number, one of which, 48, is endless and is formedthrough out of copper or other conducting material and is engaged by atrolley-wheel 49, supported from the frame of the appliance andconnected in the circuit, while the other track is of doubleconstruction, the outer portion 50 being composed of a section 51 ofconducting ma- IIOV terial and a section 52 of insulated material, whilethe inner portion 53 is similarly composed of conducting material 54 andinsulated material 55, the sections being reversely disposed withreference to the sections of the outer portion 50. The inside track isengaged by a trolley-wheel 56. The sheet is fed forwardly either by asingle movement or by two successive movements of the carrier. Where twosuccessive movements of the sheet is desired,the double track is employed,the trolleywheel traversing the outer section in the firstreciprocation of the carrier and the inner section in the secondreciprocation. To enable the trolley to shift from the inner to theouter section, and vice versa, a switch is employed, consisting of ashort track orrailpiece 57, centrally pivoted to extend between thejuxtaposed ends of the inner and outer tracks in one position andbetween the juxtaposed ends of the opposite outer and inner tracks inthe other position. The switch is brought to one of its positions by theattractive power of an electromagnet 58, arranged in the circuit andenergized at the proper time to throw. the switch into line with thesections against the action of a spring 59, which spring when the magnetis deenergized moves the switch into line with the other track-sections.The switch is of conducting material and when attracted by the magnetengages contacts 61, also in the circuit, whereby the attracted positionof the switch is maintained until it is traversed by the trolley-wheel.The trolley-wheel 56 for the inside track is mounted on a fixed support62 to be capable of sidewise movement, whereby it is enabled to shiftfrom one track to the other, the means employed being a trolley-arm 63,which carries at its outer end the trolley-wheel and is longitudinallymovable in the support 62, balls 64 being employed to reduce friction.

The tracks 48 and 50 53 are continuously rotated and are maintained incircuit by any suitable means, such as spring or roller contacts. Thefin ger-actuatin g magnets are connected in the circuit preferably bywheel-contacts 49 56, engaging contact-rails 49 56, arranged parallel tothe movement of the carrier. In the forward movements of the carrier thetrolley-wheel 56 engages the conducting-sections of the track 50 53 andestablishes the circuit through the finger-magnets 46 47, with theresult of bringing the fingers into gripping position. The sheet is thuscarried forwardly at each forward movement of the carrier; but in therearward movements of the latter the trolley-wheel is in engagement withthe insulated sections of the track, and the circuit being broken thefingers are moved by their retracting-springs out of contact with thesheet, the latter remaining in its fed position during the rearwardtraverse of the carrier. Each pair of gripper-fingers is separatelyconnected in a circuit with one of the front guide or register fingerspresently to be described, the electric controlling mechanism abovedescribed being duplicated at the opposite side of the appliance toobtain the independent action of the pairs of fingers.

In the second movement of the sheet it is brought against the frontguide or register, and in order to insure the proper extent of movementof the sheet in its second traverse I employ a temporary stop, which isengaged by the front edge of the sheet at the end of its first movement.This stop,which is adapted to be adjusted in position according to thesize of the sheet, consists of a plurality of pins 65, each of which issecured to or forms an integral part of a lever 66, pivoted on a frame67, the frame being bolted or otherwise secured to the under side of thetable to be capable of the stated adjustment. The lever is rockedagainst the action of a spring 68 to bring the pin above the table toform the stop by the attractive power of an electromagnet 69, carried bythe frame 67, the spring 68 operating to normally retract the lever anddepress the pin out of the path of the paper. The magnet 69 may beenergized by the employment of various means; but I prefer theconstruction shown, which consists of connecting upper and lower Wheels35 on the carrier in an independentcircuit with the magnet 69 andemploying a section of the track 36 as a conductor, the section numbered70 being insulated from the other portion of the track, which is madenon-conductive. The track section or contact 70 is so located that whenthe carrier, and consequently the sheet, approaches the end of theforward movement the wheels 35 engage the track-section 70 and establisha circuit through the magnet 60, with the result of energizing thelatter and causing it to attract a soft-iron contact-piece on the lever.The movement of the lever elevates the pin above the table, and two ormore such pins being provided an abutment is formed against which thefront edge of the sheet is brought at the end of its first movement. Bythe employment of this temporary stop the sheet travels in its secondmove ment the requisite distance to insure at the completion of suchmovement its proper engagement with the front guide and later its properengagement by the gripping devices on the press-cylinder.

In Fig. at is shown means for feeding the sheet to the front guide by .asingle forward movement of the carrier. In this construction bytheemployment of reducing-gears 39 40 between the gear-wheels 39 and 40 thespeed of the wheel 39 is reduced to one-half of that of wheel 40, andthe crank gear-wheel 37 and inside gear 41 are made proportionatelylarger to insure the feeding of the sheet.

the proper distance in the single movement of the carrier. In connectionwith the trolleywheel 56 I employ a single circular track 56, having aninsulated portion and a conducting portion so arranged as to effect theseparation of the gripperefingers in the return movement of the carrier.In this construction also the stop-pins 65 are located in adthe frontguide.

Vance of the carrier, and in operation said pins determine thepositionof the front edge of the wheel previous to its being gripped andfed, it being understood that the sheet'is brought against the stop-pinsby the action of the apron-32.

In-order to overcome the tendency of the sheets to curve or curl attheir front-edges, I provide at each side of the table a guide-strip 71,extending, preferably, the Whole length of the table and which projectson'the side edge of the sheet the proper distance to insure the feedingof the sheet in a fiat condition. By this means the front edge of thesheet isproperlypresen ted bothto the temporary stopand Theguide-strips, which at their forward ends are upwardly inclined toproperly deflect the sheet, are adj ustably secured to the table inorder to accommodate sheets of difierent sizes.

The sheetis guidedor registered at its side bymechanism the constructionand operation of which will presently be described,

Near the end of its second movement the sheet is brought against thefront guide or register, which occupies a position above thepress-cylinder similar to that of the guide of the usual construction.The front guide or register consists of a plurality of guide-fingers 72,each depending from the outer end of an arm 73, carried by a-shaft 74,the shaft-being journaled in brackets 7 5 and operativelyconnected witha moving part of the press to elevate the guide-fingers at the propertime to permit the sheet when gripped to the cylinder to move freely.Each-of the guide-fingers is, as before stated, in circuit with one ofthe pairs of gripper-fingers. The guide-fingers are each flanked byplates 76, secured to the outer end of the arm 73. The finger is pivotedto the plates in a manner to insure the minimum of friction, and thefinger is made of aluminium or other very light material in order thatit may be readily moved by the advancing sheet. The finger has apreponderance of weight at its inner side, and in its normal position itinclines in the direction of the sheet, a stop 77 on the plates 76limiting its outward movement. \Vhen near the end of its secondmovement, the sheetengages the free lower end of the finger and moves itrearwardly, and in order to prevent the front edge of the paper duringmovement from bending the plates are provided with a projection '78,operating similarly to the guide-strips 71. At its rear side the guidefinger carries two loosely-hung pairs of roller or other contacts 79 80and a soft-iron contact-piece 81. In the .path of the contact-s 79 arecurved tracks 82,

of conducting material, and 83 denotes similarly-curved tracks, eachhaving a section 84 ofconducting material and an insulated section 84;,which latter may be out of thepaths of the contacts. The tracks 82 83are supported on an arm 82,w hich extends-outwardly from a rod 82mounted in the brackets 75,

tobe-capable of'rnovement to adjust the tracks with reference to thecontacts 79 and 80. The

ing-sections 84,with the result of breaking the circuit and denergizingthe magnets'controlling-thegripper-fingers. The sheet is thus releasedwhen it reaches the proper position to be seized by the grippers on thecylinder, and immediately thereafter the side-register mechanism,presently to be described, is operated to guide the side of the sheet,after which the front-guide fingers are elevated and the sheet isgripped to the cylinder.

The contacts 79 on the guide-finger are normally out of contact with thetracks 82, but are brought into engagementtherewith in the inwardmovement of the'finger. Inthe'pat-h of the contact-piece 81 is anelectromagnet 85, supported on the arm 82 and electically connected withthe'contacts 79 and S1 and the tracks 82, and in this circuit is thecontrolling mechanism for the side guide or register, which will now bedescribed.

Meshing with a A circular series of bevel gear-teeth 86 on the innerface of the wheel 39 is a bevel-pinion 87, fixed to a short shaft 88,journaled in aframe piece 89. Keyed to the shaft 88 is a wheel'90,provided atone side of its center with a pin 91, on 'whichis journaledacran'k-gear'92, having acrank-pin93. This crank-gear meshes with afixed inside gear 94. The crank-pin occupies-a bearingslot in abracket95, which is guidedand he'ld in a vertical position by theengagement of pinions 96 thereon with upper and lower rackbars 97. Itwill be understood that'in the rotation of the crank-gear the bracket isreciprocated similarly to the sheet carrier hereinbefore described. Thebracket 95 extends nnder and forwardly of its reciprocating means and issecured to a transverse carrier 98, equipped with gripping-fingers 99and controlling means similar to that employed inconnection'withthegripping-fingers hereinbefore described. Thetransverse or side-guide carrier is supported from above by theengagement of flanged wheels 100 thereon with tracks 101 on anadjustable frame 102, and said carrier is reciprocated with the bracket95.

Each of the fin gers-of the side-guide carrier is provided with twogripping extremities adapted to clamp 'thesheet at two points and drawit against a side guide or register 103, the construction and operationof which are similar to the front guide. The side finger 104:, which ispivoted to flanking plates 105, carries a pair of loosely-hungroller-contacts 106, which in the rearward movement of the finger rollalong tracks 107, having a conducting and an insulated section, and saidcontacts and tracks are connected in circuit with the magnets 108, whichcontrol the gripper-fingers 99 in a manner to effect the release of thesheet when the finger 104 has moved sufficiently and the side of thesheet has been properly registered.

The means for energizing the magnets to bring the gripper-fingers intoclamping posi-- tion against the action of the retractingspringsconsists of two magnets,one of which, 109,is fixedly mounted on theside-guide carrier and is provided with a yielding contactpiece 110,located slightly in advance of the forward end of the magnet, and theother of which, 111, is mounted to slide along tracks on the top of theframe 102 and carries a yielding contact-piece 112, extending slightlyin advance of the front end of said magnet. These magnets 109 111 andcontacts 112 are arranged in circuit with the magnet 85, contact 81,contacts 79, and tracks 82 of each front guide. The reciprocation of thesideguide carrier is constant, and previous to the establishment of thecircuit in which they are arranged the side-guide fingers remaininactive. As the front guide fingers are moved inwardly a circuit isestablished through the parts 85, 81, 79, and 82 and also through thedevices which control the sideguide gripper-fingers. This circuit is,however, not complete until the contacts 110 and 112 are brought by themovement of the magnet 109 into engagement. Then a complete circuit isestablished and the energized ma,, nets 109 and 111 are attracted toeach other and travel together. The formation of this complete circuitcauses the side-guide fingers to move into gripping position to clampthe sheet and move it against the side-guide finger. This movementcontinues until the fingerhas reacheditsinnermost positiomwhen thecircuit is broken and the sheet is released properly guided both at thefront and side. The elevation of the front-guide fingers,which isaccomplished at regularintervals, restores said fingers and the contactcarried thereby to their normal positions.

In Fig. 9 I have shown another means employed in connection with theguide-fingers for controlling the gripper-fingers. 113 denotes a post,which is adj ustably supported at the outer end of the arm 82, on theupper end of which is balanced a rod 114. From the ends of this roddepend arms 116, each of which carries two flexibly-connectedcontactpoints, the points being numbered 117, 118, 119-, and 120. Eachof the four points enters a body of mercury contained in a pan 121,adjustably positioned, and in the horizontal movement of the balancedrod the points are drawn through the mercury and maintain the circuit,the circuit being broken when the points have moved sufficiently to passtherefrom. The rod 114 and arms 115 116 are swung by the engagement ofprojection 122 on one of the arms by the guide-finger. I employ thefollowing means for restoring the normal position of the rod and arms:123 124 denote solenoids, each of which is in circuit with contactscontrolled by the movement of the guide-finger-supporting shaft or rod74. Said shaft or rod carries two rollercontacts 125 126, and inthepaths of said contacts are curved tracks 127 128. These tracks haveconducting and insulated sections, the sections of one track being thereverse of those of the other. A separate circuit is provided for eachsolenoid and its contacts. 129 is a rod the ends of which enter thesolenoids 123 124, and between its ends the rod carries a projection130, extending into the path of one of the arms 115 or 116. hen theguide-finger is in its lowered position, the solenoid 123 is energizedby the engagement of contacts 125 127, and the rod is moved to bring theprojection 130 a predetermined distance from the arm 115 or 116, andsaid arms are therefore free to be moved by the guide-finger. When theguide-finger is raised, the solenoid 123 is deenergized and the solenoid124 is energized to draw the rod in the opposite direction and throughthe projection 130 to restore the rod and arms to their normal position.The points 117 and 118, with their respective bodies of mercury, are incircuit with the magnets of the gripper-fingers 43, while the points 119and 120 and their bodies of mercury are in circuit with the magnetswhich control the action of the gripper-fingers of the side guide orregister device. The mercury-containing pans are adjustable on theirsupport to bring them in proper position to actuate the parts which theycontrol at the proper time.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an appliance of the class specified, thecombination of means for separating the sheets and feeding them singly,of a reciprocatory carrier, a gripping device thereon electricallycontrolled to grip the sheet in .the forward movement of the carrier tomove the sheet, and means for guiding or registering thesheet at the endof its movement, said means being connected in electrical circuit withthe gripping-device-controlling mechan ism and adapted to be actuated bythe sheet to break the circuit and release the sheet from the grippingdevice.

2. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of areciprocatory carrier, agripping device thereon electrically controlledto grip the sheet in the forward movement of the carrier to move thesheet, and means for guiding or registering the sheet at the end of itsmovement, said means being connected in electrical circuit with thegripping-devicecontrolling mechanism and adapted to be actuated by thesheet to break the circuit and release the sheet from the grippingdevice.

3. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of areciprocatory carrier, a gripping device thereon electrically controlledto grip the sheet in the forward movement of the carrier, means forguiding or registering the front of the sheet electrically connectedwith the gripping device and actuated by the advancing sheet to breakthe circuit and release the sheet, and electrically-controlled means forguiding or registering the side of the sheet adapted to be set inoperation by the movement of the front guiding or registering means.

4. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of areciprocatory carrier, sheetgripping fingers on the carrier,electromagnets operating to move the fingers into gripping po'sition,andelectricalcontrolling means for said magnets.

5. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of areciprocatory carrier,springretained sheet-gripping fingers on thecarrier,

electromagnets operating to move the fingers into gripping positionagainst the action of the springs, and electrical controlling means forsaid magnets.

- o. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of areciprocatory carrier, sheetgripping fingers on the carrier,electricallycontrolled means for moving the fingers into grippingposition, circular contact rails or tracks carried by a rotatable partof the appliance one of the rails having an insulated section, and atrolley in contact with each track, the trolleys and tracks beingelectrically connected with the finger controlling means.

7 In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of areciprocatory carrier, sheetgripping devices on the carrier,electricallycontrolled means for moving the devices into grippingposition in the forward movements of the carrier, circular contact railsor tracks carried by a rotatable part of the appliance one of the railsbeing double and having an electrically-controlled switch and providedwith insulated sections, and a trolley in contact with each rail, thetrolleys and rails being electrically connected with thedevicecontrolling means.

8. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of a carrier,of means for reciprocating the carrier consisting of a gear-wheel havinga crank-pin journaled on the carrier, adrive-wheel on which thegear-wheel is cocentricallymounted, and an inside gear-wheel engaged bythe aforesaid gear-wheel and fixed to the frame of the applianceconcentrically with the drive-wheel.

9. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of aninclined table over which the sheets travel, a guide-track parallel tothe table, a carrier provided with flanged wheels engaging the track,mechanism for reciprocating the carrier, sheet-gripping devices-on thecarrier, and means for actuating said devices.

10. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of a tableover which the sheets travel, a carrier, means for reciprocating thecarrier, gripping devices on the carrier adapted to grip the sheet inthe forward movement of the carrier, a temporary stop for the sheet, andelectrical means controlled by the movement of the carrier for movingsaid stop into the path of the sheet.

11. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of a table,a carrier, means for reciprocating the carrier, gripping devices on thecarrier adapted to grip the sheet in the forward movement of thecarrier, a tempo-' rary stop consisting of a plurality of pinsadjustable in position, and electromagnets electrically connected withcontacts on the carrier and frame operating at the end of movement ofthe carrier to move the pins above the table into the path of the sheet.

12. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of a movablesupport for the stack of sheets, a suction device mounted to have ahorizontal movement in a spring-controlled vertically-movable frame, anda reciprocable frame in which the aforesaid frame is mounted.

13. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of a movablesupport for the stack of sheets, a suction device mounted on aspring-controlled frame, a cam-rail, a roller carried by the frame inengagement with the rail to effect the vertical movement of the frame,and a reciprocable frame in which the aforesaid frame is mounted.

14:. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of asuction device mounted on a spring-controlled frame, a reciprocableframe in which the aforesaid frame is mounted, an inclined rail havingprojections, and a roller carried by the spring-controlled frameengaging the rail to effect the vertical movement of the suction device.

15. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination ofsheet-feedin g mechanism, a front guide or register finger adapted to bemoved by the advancing sheet, side guiding or registering means andelectrical connections operating when the finger has been moved toactuate the side guiding or registering means.

16. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of sheetgripping and feeding devices electrically controlled, and a pivotedfront guide or register carrying contacts movable in the paths of othercontacts connected with the gripping devices, said guide or registeradapted when moved by the advancing sheet to effect the breaking of thecircuit to release the sheet.

17. In an appliance of the class specified,- the combination ofsheet-gripping and forward-feeding devices electrically controlled, afront guide or register adapted when moved by the advancing sheet to cutout the grip ping devices and release the sheet, electrically-controlledmeans for gripping and feeding the sheet sidewise adapted to be set inmotion by the movement of the front guide or register, and a side guideor register adapted when moved by the sheet to cut out the side-grippingmeans and release the sheet.

18. In an apparatus of the class specified, the combination of acarrier, means for reciprocating the same, gripping devices on thecarrier, electrical means for moving the devices into gripping position,an electromagnet on' the carrier, having a contact, and an electromagnetmovable on the carrier-supporting frame having a contact and means forestablishing a circuit whereby upon engagement of the contacts themagnets will be energizedand will move together and will complete thecircuit through the gripping device-operating means.

19. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of a pivotedguide or register finger, a balanced rod, arms depending from the rodcarrying hinged contact-points,

mercury-pans in the paths of the points, a I

projection on one of the arms in the path of the finger, a stop-rod inthe path of one of the arms, solenoids for moving the stop-rod,andseparatemeans for electricallycontrolling each solenoid.

20. In an appliance of the class specified, the combination of abalanced rod, arms depending from the rod carrying contacts,mercury-pans adjustable in the paths of the contacts, a projection onone of the arms arranged in the path of the sheet, and means forretracting the rod and arms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARK \V. COMES.

Witnesses:

W. T. NORTON, A. BROWNING.

